Skip to main content

Can you paint in high humidity? What you need to know

Painting in humid weather: How to make sure your paint job is still gorgeous

If you’re planning a painting project and you’re concerned about humidity levels while you paint, you’ve come to the right place. Since paint needs to dry properly to have a beautiful and smooth-looking result, moisture in the air is certainly an issue. So, is painting in humid weather possible? While the answer to that question is yes, we’re going to discuss some of the concerns and tips for dealing with humidity and painting indoors or outdoors.

Red roller brush with black paint on white wall
StockSnap/Pixabay

How does humidity affect your paint job?

Moisture in the air means that there’s moisture on the surface you’re about to paint. A damp surface is not ideal for painting, and you will find that your overall result doesn’t look as great as you’d hoped. Let’s dig into the specifics of how high humidity negatively impacts your paint job.

Moisture could lead to mold growth

When you’re dealing with high humidity, surfaces tend to dry slowly. When you’re painting indoors, for example, you always want to wash your walls before slapping down a coat of paint, so high humidity could slow down the drying process. If your walls are damp when you start to paint, this could lead to mold growing between the wall and the paint. The mold will eventually grow through the new layer of paint, and you will need to clean the area and paint again.

Paint will struggle to dry

For a coat of most paint types to dry, the water in the paint needs to evaporate more quickly than the solvents. In high humidity, the water struggles to evaporate, making for a gunky, gel-like layer of paint. Eventually, when the humidity level falls, you’ll find that this type of consistency will dry with a wavy texture since it has not been set properly, and you won’t be satisfied with the result.

Wood surfaces could swell

As you may know, moisture on wood causes it to swell. If you’re painting wood when there’s a lot of moisture in the air, the wood could start to swell a bit after you’ve put on a coat of paint. This swelling could cause cracks or chips in your coat of paint which will eventually lead to the surface needing to be repainted.

Paint may not adhere to metal surfaces

Painting metal objects can be difficult enough, since paint doesn’t adhere to them as easily as it does to wood. Humidity can worsen this, so if you’re trying to paint something metal, it might be best to leave that for a drier day.

Blue paintbrush against light wood fence

Tips for painting in high humidity

The perfect humidity level for painting, particularly outdoors, is between 40 and 50 percent relative humidity. Some moisture in the air is a good thing when you’re painting since you don’t want the paint to dry too fast and start to crack or peel. While painting in humidity levels above 50 percent is possible, you have to take some additional precautions to ensure a smooth and clean result. However, painting in humidity levels over 85 percent is highly discouraged since the paint will have such a difficult time drying.

Thoroughly dry surface before painting

If you’re painting indoors after you’ve washed your walls, be sure to wipe them thoroughly with a dry cloth to soak up any excess water. Then, set up some oscillating fans or even industrial blowers in the room for up to several hours to rid the walls of any residual moisture. It’s also a good idea to run a dehumidifier in the room for several hours after washing the walls and before painting.

Paint at the right time of day

Particularly if you’re painting outdoors, the time of day plays an important role in your paint job’s success. As you approach mid-day, temperatures rise, and humidity falls, so begin painting during the early morning hours. That way, your paint will begin drying as humidity is getting lower. As the day goes on into the late afternoon, humidity levels increase as the temperature lowers, and you run the risk of condensation building up on your newly applied coat of paint. It’s best to stop painting as the day gets later.

Follow the sun

You don’t want to have freshly applied paint in direct sunlight since the paint will dry too quickly and not adhere properly, but the sun does help with warming surfaces and reducing moisture. When you’re starting your outdoor painting job, plan to begin with the surfaces that have been previously sitting in the sun but are now moving into the shade. These areas will be warmed and less moist but will not be in the sunlight as they dry.

Paint in thin layers

This one may be obvious, but thin layers dry more quickly, so if you’re facing highly humid conditions that will slow down the drying process, this is one way you can combat it. In the spirit of full disclosure, painting thin layers will require additional coats, but you’ll be more pleased with the outcome overall.

In a perfect world, you would only be painting when the humidity levels are ideal. However, since that’s not always a possibility, you may find yourself needing to paint when humidity is high. That doesn’t mean your paint job needs to suffer—painting at the proper time, taking the right precautions, and using the right products will go a long way in combating the moisture in the air so that you can enjoy a properly dried, evenly distributed, and beautiful coat of paint.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Veronica Sparks
Veronica Sparks is a writer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who loves writing about gardening, home décor, and DIY life. She’s…
Satin vs. eggshell paint: How to choose the right finish for every room
Deciding between satin and eggshell paint - Read an expert's thoughts here
Person choosing paint colors from color pallet

Repainting your home is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to transform your home. However, before you start poring over paint swatches and heading to your local hardware or paint store to purchase gallons upon gallons, there is one major decision you need to make in addition to color: finish.

Paint finish isn't a one-size-fits-all situation, and the finish of the paint can make a big difference in how it looks. There are numerous paint finishes available, and the most common is eggshell and satin, which fall in the middle of the matte to glossy spectrum. But when it comes to satin vs. eggshell paint, which one is right for you and more specifically, the space you're painting?

Read more
Sanding, primer, or both? This is how to prepare a wall for painting
Don't skip these important steps before you start your next paint job
Two people painting an interior wall

Painting is the easiest way to transform any room in your home. A simple coat of paint is all it takes to make a drab space become a vibrant, bright room that everyone will love hanging out in. However, when it comes to actually getting the painting job done, there are some preparation steps that you need to consider.

Painting requires a bit of prep work, regardless of what condition your walls are in. Walls with holes and dents may take longer to prep than walls that just need a coat of paint. Additionally, you may need to consider sanding, priming, and other prepping methods that'll help your painting project go smoothly and ultimately result in a stunning, finished look.

Read more
The 3 living room paint colors all the trendiest experts are using
Living room paint colors you need in your home
Modern Scandinavian living room style

When it comes to choosing paint color, it can feel overwhelming with all the choices available. So much depends on the amount of light in your room, whether you're looking to brighten up the space or add more character and mood, and finding the perfect shade to complement the rest of your decor. Living room colors are some of the most important in the home because this is the space where you entertain and gather.

If you find that staring at the color wheels in your local hardware store is causing you stress, you're not alone. Color can look entirely different in the store than in your home, so bring as many samples home to see them "in real life" before you buy. If you need help with what's trending for living room paint colors, keep reading.

Read more